February

February came and went incredibly fast.  The month started off with a business trip to Amsterdam for Brian.  Some of you might recall last year's trip  where I got to tag along.  It didn't make sense for me to go again this year so Grandma came to help keep the boys in line.

As usual, Grandma's visit was awesome.  Brock woke every morning to delicious french toast and ended each night snuggled up with grandma reading books. Cade had plenty of snuggle time with Grandma, too.  I'm not sure who enjoyed that more.  He was all smiles in her arms.

The weather couldn't have been more agreeable for February.  We spent a lot of time outdoors playing at the park. We even had a chance to go to one of our favorite sushi restaurants.

Thanks for another great visit, Grandma.  We love you so much!

Then something terrible happened.  Something so awful that it's still heart breaking to think about, let alone talk about. Our dear friend Anne died suddenly of a brain aneurysm.

Anne and I were pregnant with our boys (Brock and Connor) at the same time. She and I also grew up in the same town and went to the same schools. She married Brian's friend, Jim and that is how we connected. Anne was one of the kindest, honest, funniest, liveliest persons I ever knew.

Her funeral, while incredibly sad, was filled with hilarious stories of Anne that made everyone laugh, then burst into tears knowing all we had left were our memories. What is even harder to process is the loss her beloved son, Connor, is enduring. He's only three.  And he lost the one person who loved him more than anything. Anne wanted a family so much.

We'd talk (over copious amounts of wine) about our fears of infertility. Mine became a reality and she got pregnant almost immediately. I'm so happy she did because while three years is never enough time to be a mother, in those three years, she filled Connor's life with love and joy to last him a lifetime.

Anne at our wedding (she's in the left corner in the black and white polka dots)

Blushing bride, Anne at her wedding in 2008

Anne and Connor at Brock's 1st birthday

  Here is her obituary.  We miss you so much, Anne.  May you watch over Connor and Jim and keep them safe. We promise to do our best to help Jim and make sure Connor continues to smile and live life as you'd want him to: fully.

By the second half of February, the entire household was under siege with colds and coughs.  We stayed in bed, indoors and away from the world.  Just now (it's the first week of March) we are re-entering society germ free.

February- it came and went.